Valve gear



Oct. 16, 1923.

W. E. VER PLANCK VALVE GEAR Filed May 26. 1920 To Speed Governm- 48 4 5Inventor William EZ.\/erPlancK,

' by @Zfirybwv;

' His AtLor-ne Patented Oct. 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM EVERETT VER PLANCKpOF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK,ASSIGNOR TO GEN- ERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

vA'LvE GEAR.

' Application filed May 26, 1920. 1 Serial No. 384,842

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, WILLIAM EVERETT VER PLANCK, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenec tady, State ofNew York, have invented oer tain new and useful Improvements in ValveGears, of which the following is a specificatio j Thepresent inventionrelates to valve gears such as areused to control the flow of elasticfluid to prime movers and has for its object to provide an improvedstructure and arrangement in an apparatus of this character. For aconsideration of what I believe to be noveland my invention, attentionis f directed to the accompanying description and the claims appendedthereto. 1

' spective view of certain parts.

. portion of the turbine is shown but it. will In the drawing, 'Fig. 1is a diagrammatic Y view, partly in section and parly in'perspective, ofa structure and arrangement embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a per-While my invention is adapted for use in connection with prime move-rsgenerally, it is more particularly intended for use in connection withelastic-fluid turbines and it is this applicationof it which I havespecifically illustrated in the drawing.

- Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates an elastic-fluid turbine towhich operating fluid is admitted through a conduit 6. Only abeunderstood that it may be a turbine of any suitable type. The shaft ofthe turbine is indicated at 7 and a distorted viewof the same is shownin order to illustrate the in vention. It will be understood that thisis a shaft of the ordinary type and arranged in the ordinary manner.

' In conduit 6 is an emergency valve 8 and; a controlling valve 9.Emergency valve 8 is shown asbeing a clapper valve fixed on a shaft 10-pivoted in the valve casing and biased toward closed position. vOn anend of shaft 10 is fixed an arm having a head 11 which projects betweenfurcations 12 and 13 on one end of a lever 14 loosely mounted on shaft10. The other end of lever 14 is connected by a rod 15 to an arm 16,castintegral with a hollow shaft 17. The shaft 17 is carried in suitablebearings in a frame which is supported by the turbine structure, but forthe sake of clearness the supporting frame has been omitted from thedrawing. Carried by shaft 17 is an arm 18 to which is connected one endofa sprin 19, the other end belng connected to' a fixe part of theturbine structure, such as for example, the eye 20 projecting from thehead of the turbine casing. On shaft 17 is a third arm 21 to the outerend of which is connected a rod! 22 which extends down adjacent to theturbine shaft and has a catch 23 at its lower end with which engages thenose 24 of a trip lever 25.

(not shown), and nose 24 is biased to a position in engagement withcatch 23 by a coiled spring 28 which is wound about shaft 27 engaging atits ends a fixed member 29 and at its central portion the trip lever2'5.v The lower end of trip lever 25 extends in prox- 'imity to shaft 7and carried by shaft 7 is a spring plunger 30 which, in case of excessspeed, is adapted to fly radially outward by centrifugal force andstrike the end! of the trip lever thereby knocking nose 24 out fromengagement with catch 23. Spring plunger 30 is a well-known type ofemergency governor and is illustrated only by way of example. It will beunderstood thatany suitable tripping arrangement which responds to thespeed of the turbine may be used for cooperating with trip lever 25.

'When'the parts are in the positions shown in Fig.- 1, spring 19 is heldunder tension by rod 22 which rests on nose 24, and valve 8 is held'open by furcation 12 which engages head 11, In case of excess speed,plunger 30v apart so that when the parts are in the position shown inthe drawing, furcation 13 is some distance from head 11. In.case,,forany reason, valve 8 sticks then when furcation 13 strikes head 11 thevalve will be given a blow which will start it toward closed position,and, if necessary, positively move it to closed position.

Controlling valve 9 may be of any suitable type and its stem 31 isconnected to a admission chamber 37 and beneath it is a dischargechamber 38. 39 IS a pilot valve be closed by a valve 52.

is an admission conduit 36 which communi.-

cates with cylinder 33 on the side of piston 32 opposite to that onwhich spring 34 is located. Above admission conduit 36 is an sleevehaving openings 40 and 41 which --communicate with admission conduit 36and The lower end of admission chamber 37. sleeve 39, opens directlyinto discharge chamber 38. Admission conduit 36 and ad mission chamber37v are of greater width than'the diameter of sleeve 39 s that fluid inconduit 36 and chamber 37 entirely'sur rounds" the sleeve and has accessto all the openings in it. In pilot valve sleeve 39 is a speed governoror other means for moving pilot valve 43 for the purpose of regulatingthe opening and closing of valve 9. Ordinarily rod 47 will be connected.to a suitable speed governor such as a fluid pressure aetuated governor,a fly ball governor, or other type of device responsive to the speed ofthe turbine. Such arrangements are well known and require no specificillustration.

One-end of elbow lever 46 is pivoted on a fixed bracket 48 and the otherend is connected by a link 49 to a stem 31 of valve. 9. This forms ausual follow-up device connection such as is customary in connectionwith this type of apparatus. Adjacent admission chamber 37 is a supplychamber 50 which communicates with chamber 37 through an opening 51which is adapted to Fluid under pressure issupplied to supply chamberL50v through a pipe 53 which may lead from any suitable source of fluidpressure such as, for example, the forced feed lubricating system of theturbine.

In the wall which separates admission conduit 36 from discharge chamber38 is an opening 54 which .is normally closed by valve 55. Valves 52 and55 are carried by a single stem 56, and the arrangement is such thatwhen valve 55 is closed valve 52 is open and vice versa. Normally valve52 is held open and valve 55 closed by an arm 57 fixed on a shaft 58journaled in thecasing of the pilot valve structure; Interposed betweenthe end of arm 57 and valve 55 is a spring 59 through which arm 57 holdsvalve 55 seated so that-the same is held yieldingly on its seat. Looselymounted on shaft 58 is a lever 60 provided with a nose 61 which projectsover an arm 62 connectedto shaft 58. Connected t lever .60 is a rod 63the lower end of which is connected to an arm 64 fixed on shaft 17;WVhen the parts are in the position shown in the drawing, nose 61engages arm 62 and holds arm 57 in a position t maintain valve closedand valve 52 open. Leading from discharge chamber 38 is a discharge pipe65 which may lead to any. suitable point. Ordinarily such pipe will.lead back to the oil supply tank of the lubricating system. EX- tendingthrough hollow shaft 17 is a solid shaft 66 on one end of which is liveda hand shoulder 72 which forms a part of trip lever 25. Rod 71 is guidedby suitable fixed guides or casing parts 73 and '74 and between part 73and head is a spring 75 which normally holds head '70 up against part69. This arrangement forms a manually operated trip device for the triplever '25, and it will be clear that if hand lever 67 is moved in aclockwise direction, rod 71 will be forced downward against the actionof spring 75 to turn trip lever 25 and release nose 24- from catch 23.Loosely mounted on shaft 66 is a resetting handle 76 having a shoulder77 adapted to engage a lug 7 8 carried by hollow shaft 17. Handle 76normally rests against a'suitable abutment-79 as shown in the drawing.

In operation fluid pressure is supplied by pipe 53 to supply chamber 50from whence it flows through opening 51 to admission chamber 37. Assumethat the turbine is operating and that valve 9 is open a predeterminedamount sufiicient t maintain the desired speed; also that rod 47 isconnected to a speed governor in the usual manner. If now the speedincreases. rod47 will be lowered thereby raising pilot valve 43 anduncovering openings 40 s as to connect admission conduit 36 throughopenings40to discharge chamber 38. This will permit fluid to escape fromcylinder 33, relieving the pressure somewhat on the end of piston 32thereby permitting spring 34 t move pivoting on the upper end of rod 47.On

the other hand, in case the speed decreases, rod 47 will be moved upwardthereby lowering pilot valve 43 and connecting admission conduit 36through openings 40 and 4] with admission chamber 37. This will admitfluid pressure through admissionconduit 36 to the cylinder 33 movingpiston 32 against the action of spring 34 to open further valve 9. Aswill be readily understood, this forms a pilot valve controlled fluidactuated motor fora'egulating the control means of spring 19 as alreadyexplained, this immediately lowers rod 63 which holds 'valve 55 closedand valve 52 open moving nose 61 away from arm 62' and permitting valve55 to open and valve 52 to close. As a result the supply of fluidpressure to the fluid actuated motor, that is to admission chamber 37,is shut ofi while admission conduit 36 is connected directly throughopening 54 to discharge chamber 38 and discharge con duit 65; The fluidressure on piston 32 is thus immediately re ieved to permit spring 34 toclose valve 9. By this arrangement it will be seen that whenever theemergency valve 8 is tripped the controlling valve 9 is automaticallyclosed.

When shaft 17 turns in tripping the valve gear, lug 7 8 moves aroundadjacent to shoulder 77 on resetting handle 76. v To reset the valvegear it is only necessary to turn handle 76 so as to turn shaft 17 in ananti-clockwise direction. This lifts rods 22 so nose 24 can drop undercatch-23, puts spring 19 under tension, opens valve 8, and closes valve54 and opens valve 52. A single movement of the resetting lever thusserves to restore all the parts to their normal set positions.

It will be noted that lever 60 and rod 63 are not positively connectedto the parts which hold valve 55 closed and valve '52 open, and thatwhen the valve gear is tripped lever 60 is free to move. away from suchI parts leaving valve 55 free to open and valve 52 free to close.

Likewise lever 14 is not positively connected to valve 8 but'has a lostmotion connection therewith equal to the angular distance between h d 11and furcation 13. This lost motion connection is sufficiently great thatwhen shaft 17 turns,

valves 55 and 52 will be released prior tothe time when furcation 13strikes head 11. By this arrangement should valves 55 and '52 stick inthe positions shown in .the drawing, it will not interfere with theactuation of valve 8; and likewise should valve 8 stick Open it will notinterfere with the operation of valves 55 and 52. In general, when ofboth valves 8 and 9 failing at the same .ratus shown is only timetooperate is very remote, and as already pointed out the operation of onevalve does not depend on the operation of the other.

Furthermore, it is to be noted that my improved trip mechanism is simplein structure and operation, requiring but a single operating spring 19,and but a single movement of the resetting lever 76 to reset theapparatus.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I havedescribed the principle of operation of my invention, together with theapparatus which I now considerto represent the best embodiment thereof;but I desire to have it understood that the appaillustrative, and thatthe invention may e carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is,--

1. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying elastic fluidthereto, an]

emergency valve and a control valve in said conduit, means for holdingthe emergency valve open, means for tripping said holdingmeans, a fluidactuated motorfor the control valve, a pilot valve for the fluid .motor,means biasing said control valve to closed position, and means operatedby said tripping means for relieving the fluid pressure on said motorindependently of said pilot valve and permitting the control valve toclose.

2. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying elastic fluidthereto, an emergency valve and a control valve in said conduit, meansfor positioning the control valve to regulate the prime mover, meansforholding the emergency valve open, means which when released ermitsthe control valve toclose indepen ently of said positioning means, andmechanism which when actuated operates both said means to effect theclosing of said valves. s 3. In combination, a prime mover, a conduitfor supplying elastic fluid thereto, an emergency valve and a controlvalve in said conduit, means for holding the emergency valve open, saidmeans having a lost motion connection with said valve, means which whenreleased effects the closing of the control valve, and mechanism whichwhen actuated operates both said means.

4. In combination, a'prime m'over, a conduit'for supplying elastic fluidthereto, an emergency valve and a control valvein said conduit, meansfor holding the emergency valve open, means for tripping said holdingmeans, a fluid actuated motor for the control valve, a pilot valve forsaid motor,

means biasing said control valve toward closed position, a "valve whichwhen actuated relieves the fluid pressure on said motor independently ofsaid pilot valve, and

means operated by said tripping means for actuating said last namedvalve.

-5. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying elastic fluidthereto, an emergency valve therein, means having a lost motionconnection with said valve for holding it open, a spring connected tosaid means which acts to move it in a direction to close the emergencyvalve, tripvmechanism for holding said means against the action of thespring to maintain said emergency valve open, a control valve in saidconduit, which is biased toward closed position, a fluid actuated pistonfor opening said control valve, a pilot valve controlling the admissionof elastic fluid to said piston, a 'valve independent of the pilot valveadapted to relieve the pressure on said piston, and actuating means forsaid last named valve controlled by said trip mechanism.

6. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying elastic fluidthereto, an emergency valve therein, means having a lost motionconnection with said valve for holding it open, a spring connected tosaid means which acts to move it in a direction to close the emergencyvalve, trip mechanism for holdin said means against the i action of thespring to maintain said emergency valve open, a control valve in saidconduit, which is biased toward closed po- I sition, a fluid actuatedpiston for opening said control valve, a pilot valve controlling theadmission of elastic fluid'to said piston, avalve independent of thepilot valve adapted to relieve the pressure on said piston, and meanswhich engages said last named valve to hold it closed but can move fromengagement therewith to permit it to open, said trip mechanism acting tohold such means in a position tomaintain the last named valve closed.

7. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying elastic fluidthereto, an

emergency valve and a control valve in said conduit, both said valvesbeing biased toward closed positions, a fluid actuated mo-' tor for saidcontrol valve, avalve for relieving the pressure on said motor, a leverfor holdingsaid emergency .-valve open, a

lever for holding said relief valve closed,

spring actuated means connected to said levers and acting on them in adirection to trip means for holding saidspring actuated means in aposition to maintain said emer- -gency valve open and said relief valveclosed.

8. In combination, a'prime mover, a conduit for supplying elastic fluidthereto, an emergency valve and a control valve in said conduit, bothsaid valves being biased toward closed positions, a fluid actuated motorfor said control valve, a valve for relieving the pressure on saidmotor, a shaft, means associated with said shaft for holding saidemergency valve open and said relief valve closed, and trip controlledmeans for turning said shaft to effect a closing of said emergency valveand an opening of said relief valve.

9. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying motive fluidthereto, a valve in said conduit, means biasing said valve toward closedposition, a fluid actuated'motor for opening said valve, a pilot valvecontrolling the flow of operating fluid to said motor, and "alve meansindependent of the pilot valve for shutting ofl the supply of fluidpressure to the pilot valve and relieving the pressure on the fluidmotor.

10. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying motive fluidthereto, a valve-insaid conduit, means biasing said valve toward closedposition, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a rod connecting thepiston to said valve, means biasing the piston toward a position toclose the valve, a pilot valve casing, a pilot valve therein forcontrolling the flow of motive fluid to said cylinder, and valve meansin said casing for relieving the pressure in said cylinder independentlyof said pilot valve.

11. In combination, a prime mover, a con duit or supplying motive fluidthereto, a valve in said conduit, means biasing said valve toward closedposition, a cylinder, a

piston inthe cylinder, a rod connectingthe I connected to said casing,and a valve means in-said casing for closing said last-named supplyconduit and connecting said cylinder tov said discharge conduit.

12. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying motive fluidthereto,

a valve in said conduit, means biasing said piston to said valve, meansbiasing the.pis-- ton toward a position to close the valve, a pilotvalve casing, a pilot valve therein for controlling the flow of motivefluid to said cylinder, a valve means in said casing for relieving thepressure in said cylinder independently of said pilot valve, and automatic means responsive to an operating condition of the prime mover foroperating said valve means.

13. In combination, a prime mover, a

conduit for supplying motive fluid thereto,

a valve in said conduit, means biasing said valve toward closedposition, a cylinder, a.

piston :in the cylinder, a rod connecting the piston'to said valve,means'biasing the. piston toward a position to pilot valve casing, apilot valve therein for controlling the flow of motive fluid to saidcylinder, a conduit for supplying motive fluid to said casing, adischarge conduit connected to said casing, means forming a passagewhich connects said cylinder directly to said discharge conduit, a valvein said passage, and automatic means responsive to an operatingcondition of the prime mover for operating said last named valve.

14. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying motive fluidthereto, a valve in said conduit, means biasing said valve toward closedposition, a cylinder, a-

piston in the cylinder, a rod connecting the piston to said valve, meansbiasing the piston toward a position to close the valve, a pilot valvecasing, a pilot valve therein for controlling the flow of motive fluidto said cylinder, a conduit for supplying motive fluid to said casing, adischarge conduit connected to said casing, means forming a passagewhich connects said cylinder directly to said discharge conduit, a valvein said passage which is biased to open position, and means for movingsaid holding means away from such valve to permit it to open.

15. In combination, a prime mover, a conduit for supplying motive fluidthereto, a valve in said conduit, means biasing said valve toward closedposition, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a rod connecting .thepiston to said valve, means biasing the piston toward a position apilot'valve casing, a pilot valve therein for controlling the flow ofmotive fluid to said cylinder, a conduit for supplying motive fluid tosaid casing, a discharge conduit connected to said casing, means.forming a passage which connects said cylinder directly to saiddischarge conduit, a valve in said passage which is biased to openposition, means normally holding it closed, and automatic meansresponsive to an operating condition of the prime mover for moving saidholding means away from such valve to permit it to open.

close the valve, a

means normally holding it closed,

to close the valve,

16. In combination, a prime mover, a concontrolling the flow of motivefluid to said cylinder, a conduit for supplying motive fluid to saidcasing,""adischarge conduit connected to said casing, means forming apassage which connects said cylinder directly to said discharge conduit,a valve in said passage which is biasedto tion, an emergency valve insaid first-named conduit which is biased to closed position, and meansholding the valve in said passage open posi-,

closed and said emergency valve open, said means being adapted to moveaway from such valves to permit the onevalve to open and the other toclose.

17. In combination, a prime mover, a. conduit for su plying motive fluidthereto, a valve in sai conduit, means biasing said valve toward closedposition, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, 'a rod connecting thepiston to said valve, means biasing the piston toward a position toclose the valve, a pilot valve casing, a pilot valve therein forcontrolling the flow of motive fluid to said cylinder, a conduit forsupplying motive fluid to said casing, a discharge conduit connected tosaid casing, means forming a passage which connects said cylinderdirectly to said discharge conduit, a valve in said passage which isbiased to open position,

an emergency valve in said first-named conduit which is biased to closedposition, means holding the valve in said passage closed and saidemergency valve open, biasing means which acts to move said holdingmeans" away from such valves, a catch for holding said means againstthe'action of said biasing means, and means responsive to an abnormaloperating condition of the prime, mover for releasing said catch.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of May,1920.

WILLIAM EVERETT m risers

